System for generating printed board three-dimensional shape data

ABSTRACT

A system for generating three-dimensional shape data about a high precision printed board without consirderable amount of time and efforts. The system comprises a first storage means for storing therein three-dimensional simple shape data about a printed board; a second storage means for storing therein detailed shape data an electronic component; a third storage means for storing therein wiring data; and a generation.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for creatingthree-dimensional shape data of a printed board, and more particularly,it relates to a system for creating three-dimensional shape data of aprinted board, which is preferable when used for design negotiationperformed between electric packaging-design process and device sheathingdesign process in a three-dimensional product design performed inproduct development process in an electronic products manufacturingcorporation, for example.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, to create the three-dimensional shape data of theprinted board, data such as a substrate outline, substrate thickness,electronic component ID, a rectangular electronic component field, anelectronic component height, and arrangement information of electroniccomponent has been output from a substrate CAD system on the file formatof IDF (Intermediate Data Format), the above-mentioned IDF file outputfrom the concerned substrate CAD system has been input into athree-dimensional CAD system via an interface, and a three-dimensionalshape data of the printed board, where an electronic component shape wasexpressed as a rectangular parallelepiped-like shape, has been createdbased on the IDF file input in the concerned three-dimensional CADsystem.

[0003] Specifically, in the three-dimensional shape data of the printedboard, which has been created based on the IDF file output from theabove-mentioned substrate CAD system, since only data of a rectangularelectronic component field (that is, two-dimensional shape showing thebase of electronic component) and the electronic component heightregarding the electronic component is given, each electronic componentshape is expressed in a rectangular parallelepiped-like shape differentfrom life shape, and furthermore, since there is a case where, regardingthe base shape of the electronic component as the rectangular electroniccomponent field, a foot pin nose of the concerned electronic componentis made to be an end line, there existed a problem that the use of thecreated three-dimensional shape data of the printed board as simulationdata for highly precise fitting check and strength analysis is limited.

[0004] On the other hand, in the case of creating the three-dimensionalshape data of the highly precise printed board by the above-mentionedconventional technique, there existed a problem that a great amount oftime and labor are needed because each designer needed to perform dataediting of the three-dimensional shape data of the printed board, whichhas been obtained by the IDF format, with manual operation.

[0005] The present invention is created in view of the above-mentionedproblems that the prior art has, and its object is to provide the systemfor creating the three-dimensional shape data of the printed board,which can create the three-dimensional shape data of the highly preciseprinted board without needing a great amount of time and labor.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] To attain the above-mentioned object, the present invention isone that has: first storage means that stores printed boardthree-dimensional simple shape data showing a three-dimensional simpleshape of a printed board; second storage means that stores electroniccomponent three-dimensional detail shape data showing athree-dimensional detail shape of electronic component; third storagemeans that stores wiring data showing a wiring pattern shape andvia/land shape of the printed board; and generation means that reads outthe printed board three-dimensional simple shape data stored in theabove-mentioned first storage means, the electronic component threedimensional detail shape data stored in the above-mentioned secondstorage means, and the wiring data stored in the above-mentioned thirdstorage means, and generates printed board three-dimensional detailshape data showing a three-dimensional detail shape of the printedboard, where the wiring pattern shape and the via/land shape that thewiring data shows are synthesized with a three-dimensional shape of theprinted board, in which the electronic component shape constituting thethree-dimensional simple shape of the printed board that the printedboard three-dimensional simple shape data shows is substituted for theelectronic component shape that the electronic component threedimensional detail shape data shows.

[0007] Herein, the above-mentioned first storage means is equivalent toa ‘substrate three dimensional simple shape storage region 104′ in thesection of ‘Best mode for implementing the invention’ which is describedlater, the above-mentioned second storage means is equivalent to a‘component three-dimensional detail shape storage region 106′ in thesection of ‘Best mode for implementing the invention’ which is describedlater, the above-mentioned third storage means is equivalent to a‘wiring pattern shape/via-land shape storage region 100′ in the sectionof ‘Best mode for implementing the invention’ which is described later,and the above-mentioned generation means is equivalent to ‘componentthree-dimensional shape substitute means 54′ in the section of ‘Bestmode for implementing the invention’ which is described later.

[0008] Further, the present invention may have read-out means that readsout the electronic component three dimensional detail shape data ofelectronic component, which the printed board three-dimensional simpleshape data stored in the above-mentioned first storage means shows, froman external database for the second storage means.

[0009] Herein, the above-mentioned external database is equivalent to a‘component three-dimensional detail shape library 22′ in the section of‘Best mode for implementing the invention’which is described later, andthe above-mentioned read-out means is equivalent to ‘componentthree-dimensional shape reading means 40′ in the section of ‘Best modefor implementing the invention’ which is described later.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention has processing means thatreads out predetermined data from a second external database, generatesthe printed board three-dimensional simple shape data based on the dataread out and stores it in the above-mentioned first storage means, andthe above-mentioned read-out means is one that reads out the electroniccomponent three-dimensional detail shape data from the above-mentionedexternal database according to electronic component that thepredetermined data, which the above-mentioned processing means read out,shows.

[0011] Herein, the above-mentioned second external database isequivalent to an ‘IDF substrate file 16′ and an ‘IDF component file 18′in the section of ‘Best mode for implementing the invention’ which isdescribed later, and the above-mentioned read-out means is equivalent to‘IDF file reading means 36′ and ‘substrate three-dimensional shapecreation/synthesis means 52′ in the section of ‘Best mode forimplementing the invention’ which is described later.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a block configuration view that shows an example of anembodiment of the three-dimensional shape data creation system of theprinted board according to the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is an explanatory view that shows an example of the wiringpattern shape and the via/land shape.

[0014]FIG. 3 is an explanatory view that shows an example of a usergraphic interface (GUI) of an IDF parameter.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a data list that shows an example of the IDF substratefile.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a data list that shows an example of the IDF componentfile.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a chart that shows the specification of the substrate bythe IDF substrate file.

[0018]FIG. 7 is a chart that shows the specification of the electroniccomponent by the IDF component file.

[0019]FIG. 8 is an explanatory view that shows an example of thethree-dimensional simple shape of the printed board.

[0020]FIG. 9 is an explanatory view that shows an example of thethree-dimensional detail shape of electronic component.

[0021]FIG. 10 is an explanatory view that shows an example of thethree-dimensional shape of the printed board.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0022] 10. Board modeler (Board Modelar)

[0023] 12. Printed board CAD

[0024] 14. Substrate CAD file

[0025] 16. IDF substrate file

[0026] 18. IDF component file

[0027] 20. External design database

[0028] 22. Component three-dimensional detail shape library

[0029] 30. External design information interface (External Designinformation I/F)

[0030] 32. Substrate CAD file reading means

[0031] 34. IDF library operating means

[0032] 36. IDF file reading means

[0033] 38. External design database retrieval means

[0034] 40. Component three-dimensional shape reading means

[0035] 50. Three-dimensional information creation/synthesis means

[0036] 52. Substrate three-dimensional shape creation/synthesis means

[0037] 54. Component three-dimensional shape substitute means

[0038] 60. External interface (External I/F)

[0039] 62. IDF conversion library

[0040] 100. Wiring pattern shape/via-land shape storage region

[0041] 102. Storage region of substrate outline and the like

[0042] 104. Substrate three-dimensional simple shape storage region

[0043] 106. Component three-dimensional detail shape storage region

[0044] 108. Substrate three-dimensional detail shape storage region

Best Mode for Implementing the Invention

[0045] Hereinafter, an example of the embodiment of thethree-dimensional shape data creation system of the printed boardaccording to the present invention will be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

[0046]FIG. 1 shows the block configuration view showing an example ofthe embodiment of the three-dimensional shape data creation system ofthe printed board according to the present invention.

[0047] This three-dimensional shape data creation system of the printedboard (hereinafter, referred to as ‘this system’) is one where controlof operation is realized by a micro computer and its software, which isconstituted by having: the board modeler (Board Modelar) 10 that forms aprincipal portion of the present invention; the printed board CAD 12connected with the board modeler 10; the substrate CAD file 14 connectedwith the printed board CAD 12; the IDF substrate file 16 output from theprinted board CAD 12 and connected with the board modeler 10; the IDFcomponent file 18 output from the printed board CAD 12 and connectedwith the board modeler 10; the external design database 20 connectedwith the board modeler 10; and component three-dimensional detail shapelibrary 22 connected with the board modeler 10.

[0048] Herein, the board modeler 10 is constituted by having: theexternal design information interface (external design information I/F)30; and the three-dimensional information creation/synthesis means 50.

[0049] And, the external design information I/F 30 has: the substrateCAD file reading means 32; the IDF library operating means 34; the IDFfile reading means 36; the external design database retrieval means 38;and the component three-dimensional shape reading means 40.

[0050] Further, the three-dimensional information creation/synthesismeans 50 is constituted by having: the substrate three-dimensional shapecreation/synthesis means 53; and the component three-dimensionalsubstitute means 54.

[0051] Note that the printed board CAD 12 includes the externalinterface (external I/F) 60 and the IDF conversion library 62.

[0052] In the above-mentioned configuration, in this three-dimensionalshape data creation system of the printed board, substance fileselection means (not shown) such as file dialog selects an objectsubstrate file first and the full path of the object substrate isobtained by the substrate CAD file reading means 32.

[0053] Next, the substrate CAD file reading means 32 is one that passesthe full path obtained in the foregoing manner to the external I/F 60 ofthe printed board CAD 12 as a parameter, and accesses the substrate CADfile 14 using the function of external operation command (ASCII I/F, OLEcommunication or the like, for example) of the printed board CAD 12.

[0054] And, the substrate CAD file reading means 32, using the functionof the external operation command similarly to the above-mentionedprocessing, obtains the two kinds of two-dimensional shape data of thewiring pattern shape and the via/land shape as the wiring data from thesubstrate CAD file 14 accessed, and stores them to the wiring patternshape/via-land shape storage region 100 that consists of a random accessmemory (RAM).

[0055] Note that FIG. 2 shows an example of the wiring pattern shape andthe via/land shape.

[0056] Next, as mentioned above, the substance file selection means (notshown) such as the file dialog selects the object substrate file firstand the full path of the object substrate is obtained by the substrateCAD file reading means 32, the full path obtained is passed to theexternal I/F 60 of the printed board CAD 12 as a parameter, the IDFlibrary operating means 34 enters an IDF parameter where entry is urgedaccording to the user graphic interface (GUI) using the function ofexternal operation command (ASCII I/F, OLE communication or the like,for example) of the printed board CAD 12 in the state where thesubstrate CAD file 14 is accessed, and the IDF conversion library of theprinted board CAD 12 is activated.

[0057] Herein, as the IDF parameter where entry is urged according toGUI, a ‘substrate file name’, a ‘created IDF file name’, a ‘version’, a‘system of unit’, a ‘substrate thickness’, a ‘substrate file extension’,and a ‘component library extension’ are set.

[0058] And, in the IDF conversion library 62 of the printed board CAD12, the printed board CAD 12 obtains a ‘substrate outline’, a ‘substrateorigin’, a ‘component ID’, a ‘component arrangement’, and a ‘componentorigin’ from the substrate CAD file 14 being accessed, and it furthercreates the IDF substrate file 16 regarding the substrate and the IDFcomponent file 18 for component based on the IDF parameter entered andoutputs them to a predetermined bus.

[0059] Herein, FIG. 4 shows an example of the IDF substrate file 16, andFIG. 5 shows an example of the IDF component file 18.

[0060] Next, the IDF file reading means 36 obtains the value of eachelement of the ‘substrate outline’, the ‘substrate thickness’ and the‘substrate origin’ based on the specification shown in the chart of FIG.6 for example, from the IDF substrate file 16, which has been created asmentioned above and output to the predetermined bus, obtains the valueof each element of the ‘component ID’, the ‘component arrangement’, the‘component, origin’, and a ‘component two-dimensional simple shape’based on the specification shown in the chart of FIG. 7 for example,from the IDF component file 18, which has been created as mentionedabove and output to the predetermined bus, and stores the valuesobtained in the storage region of substrate outline and the like 102.

[0061] Then, the substrate three-dimensional shape creation/synthesismeans 52, based on the values stored in the storage region of substrateoutline and the like 102, creates and synthesizes the printed boardthree-dimensional simple shape data showing the three-dimensional simpleshape of the printed board as shown in FIG. 8 for example, in which theelectronic component shape is expressed as the rectangularparallelepiped-like shape.

[0062] Note that the printed board three-dimensional simple shape datacreated and synthesized by the substrate three-dimensional shapecreation/synthesis means 52 is stored in the substrate three-dimensionalsimple shape storage region 104.

[0063] Incidentally, the external design database retrieval means 38uses the component ID obtained by the IDF file reading means 36 as akey, and if the external design database 20 is an RDB mode, it obtainsits corresponding record ID.

[0064] And, in the block configuration view shown in FIG. 1, theexternal design database 20 is the RDB mode, and the case is shown wherethe external design database retrieval means 38 obtains the record ID.

[0065] Note that, if the external design database 20 is a substance filemanagement mode such as a file server, the external design databaseretrieval means 38 obtains a corresponding full path.

[0066] Consequently, the component three-dimensional shape reading means40 reads the electronic component three-dimensional detail shape datashowing the three-dimensional detail shape of the electronic componentas shown in FIG. 9 for example, where the electronic component shape isexpressed as a life shape, from the component three-dimensional detailshape library 22 which is related with the record ID obtained by theexternal design database retrieval means 38, and stores the electroniccomponent three-dimensional detail shape data read in the componentthree-dimensional detail shape storage region 106.

[0067] Then, the component three-dimensional shape substitute means 54reads the electronic component three-dimensional detail shape datastored in the component three-dimensional detail shape storage region106 based on the arrangement information of each electronic componentthat the printed board three-dimensional simple shape data stored in thesubstrate three-dimensional simple shape storage region 104 shows, andsynthesizes the detail shape of electronic component using the concernedelectronic component three-dimensional detail shape data, substitutesthe simple shape of electronic component for the detail shape of theconcerned electronic component substituted, and creates thethree-dimensional shape of the printed board as shown in FIG. 10, forexample.

[0068] Moreover, it is one that, regarding the wiring pattern shape andthe via/land shape stored in the wiring pattern shape/via-land shapestorage region 100, inputs thickness information of the wiring patternto the wiring pattern shape and inputs thickness information of thesubstrate to the via/land shape, creates the wiring pattern shape andthe via/land shape as three-dimensional shape information,re-synthesizes the substrate origin as arrangement information with theabove-mentioned printed board three-dimensional detail shape, andcompletes the three-dimensional detail shape of the printed board.

[0069] Then, the printed board three-dimensional detail shape datashowing the three-dimensional detail shape of the printed board, whichhas been created as mentioned above by the component three-dimensionalshape substitute means 54, is stored in a substrate three-dimensionaldetail shape storage region 108.

[0070] Therefore, since the printed board three-dimensional detail shapedata stored in the substrate three-dimensional detail shape storageregion 108 is one that expresses the three-dimensional shape of theprinted board in detail, it can be fully used as simulation data such ashighly precise fitting check and strength analysis.

[0071] Further, according to this system, since each designer does notneed to perform data editing of the three-dimensional data of theprinted board obtained by the IDF format with manual operation, laborcan be significantly reduced and the processing time can be sharplyshortened.

[0072] Note that the above-mentioned embodiments may be modified into(1) to (3) shown below.

[0073] (1) In the above-mentioned embodiments, although description hasbeen made for the case where the IDF format was used as data format, itis not limited to this, of course, and any format can be used as thedata format.

[0074] (2) In the above-mentioned embodiments, although the printedboard three-dimensional simple shape data has been created in thissystem, it is not limited to this, of course, and an interface functionthat can enter the printed board three-dimensional simple shape datacreated in an external system is provided, and the printed boardthree-dimensional detail shape data may be created using the printedboard three-dimensional simple shape data created in the externalsystem.

[0075] (3) The above-mentioned embodiments and modification examplesshown in the above-mentioned (1) to (2) may be appropriately combined.

Industrial Applicability

[0076] Since the present invention is constituted as descried above, itexerts excellent effects that the three-dimensional shape data of thehighly precise printed board can be created without needing a greatamount of time and labor.

What is claimed is
 1. A system for creating three-dimensional shape dataof a printed board, comprising: first storage means that stores printedboard three-dimensional simple shape data showing a three-dimensionalsimple shape of the printed board; second storage means that storeselectronic component three-dimensional detail shape data showing athree-dimensional detail shape of electronic component; third storagemeans that stores wiring data showing a wiring pattern shape and avia/land shape of the printed board; and generation means that reads outthe printed board three-dimensional simple shape data stored in saidfirst storage means, the electronic component three dimensional detailshape data stored in said second storage means, and the wiring datastored in said third storage means, and generates printed boardthree-dimensional detail shape data showing a three-dimensional detailshape of the printed board, where the wiring pattern shape and thevia/land shape that the wiring data shows are synthesized with athree-dimensional shape of the printed board, in which the electroniccomponent shape constituting the three-dimensional simple shape of theprinted board that the printed board three-dimensional simple shape datashows is substituted for the electronic component shape that theelectronic component three dimensional detail data shows.
 2. The systemfor creating three-dimensional shape data of a printed board accordingto said claim 1, further comprising: read-out means that reads out theelectronic component three dimensional detail shape data of electroniccomponent, which the printed board three-dimensional simple shape datastored in said first storage means shows, from an external database forthe second storage means.
 3. The system for creating three-dimensionalshape data of a printed board according to claim 2, further comprising:processing means that reads out predetermined data from a secondexternal database, generates the printed board three-dimensional simpleshape data based on the data read out, and stores in said first storagemeans, wherein said read-out means is one that reads out the electroniccomponent three-dimensional detail shape data from said externaldatabase in accordance with the electronic component that thepredetermined data, which said processing means has read out, shows.